Press Releases

EMSB SCHOOLS RECOGNIZE BLACK HISTORY MONTH

MONTREAL, FEBRUARY 1, 2011 – Throughout the month of February, schools across the English Montreal School Board will be hosting speakers and holding various activities in recognition of Black History Month. Media looking for schools to visit as part of their Black History Month coverage are welcome to take advantage of these opportunities.

The following EMSB schools celebrated Black History Month on Wednesday, February 2nd:

Parkdale Elementary School (1475 Deguire) in St. Laurent has invited Jane Nyoike to speak to their students. Nyoike was born, raised and educated in Nairobi, Kenya. She will speak to students about African heritage and cultural festivals, bringing with her a beautiful collection of artifacts from Africa to share with the students. Nyoike has lived in Montreal with her husband since the year 2000 and owns and operates All African Fashion (www.allafricanfashion) a company which produces authentic African clothes and accessories.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Monday, February 7th:

St. Raphael School (8735 Henri Julien) in Ahuntsic will welcome Captain Charles DéoGratsias at 10:00 A.M. Captain DéoGratias will share his inspiring story about growing up in a refugee camp in Tanzania. Though he was born in horrible circumstances, he persevered to find a way out of an otherwise grim future. Today, he is successful, happy, and a proud Canadian. In his message to the students, Captain DéoGratsias speaks about not forgetting his roots, and continuing to spread his message of hope, self-respect, and the power of education.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Thursday, February 10th:

Royal West Academy (189 Easton) in Montreal West will welcome Fergie Jenkins, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada. Speaking to Secondary IV from students 10:45 to noon, the special visit was organized in part by Canada Post, which recently introduced a stamp in his honour to coincide with Black History Month. The stamp features a photograph of a more mature Jenkins is overlapped by an image of him on the pitcher’s mound. Jenkins was born Ferguson Arthur Jenkins on December 13, 1942 in Chatham, Ontario. His pitching abilities brought him to the attention of the Philadelphia Phillies, who signed him in 1962. During his career, he also pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox. He holds the 12th highest strikeout total in major league history and is the only Canadian honoured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Friday, February 11th:

Royal Vale School (5861 Somerled) in N.D.G. will be holding it's Black History Month presentation from 2:00 to 3:00. In attendance will be Ms. Ranee Lee, a world-renowned Jazz artist. Lee was named to the Order of Canada in 2006 and in 2010, won a Juno Award for her Album: “Ranee Lee Lives Upstairs”. Lee toured North America in the 1970s as a jazz drummer and tenor saxophonist. She subsequently landed a starring role playing Billie Holiday in Lady Day, and won a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her performance. She subsequently began recording as a vocalist, releasing her first album in 1989. She will perform and address the high school students.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Wednesday, February 16th:

Students at Westmount High School (4350 St. Catherine) will be participating in Black History Months Children’s day at McGill University. Activities will run from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the ballroom of the Students Society of McGill University Building (3840 McTavish) on campus.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Thursday, February 17th:

Sinclair Laird Elementary School (8380 Wiseman) in Park Extension will be hosting an interactive Haitian Traditional Folklore Dance Troupe. The troupe, who has performed for a number of years in many venues in Montreal and they have recently started their own dance school for adults, will perform for the entire school.

Cedarcrest Elementary School (1505 Muir) in St. Laurent has invited Jane Nyoike to speak to their students at 11:00 a.m. Nyoike was born, raised and educated in Nairobi, Kenya. She will speak to students about African heritage and cultural festivals, bringing with her a beautiful collection of artifacts from Africa to share with the students. Nyoike has lived in Montreal with her husband since the year 2000 and owns and operates All African Fashion (www.allafricanfashion) a company which produces authentic African clothes and accessories.

St. Raphael School (8735 Henri Julien) in Ahuntsic will welcome the Steve Blackette Steppers at 9:00 a.m. The Steppers are a dance troupe whose dances are inspired by the group’s African heritage. Steve Blackette and his group will conduct a presentation delving into the history of the Black population through the traditional step stomp African dance.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Friday, February 18th:

Vincent Massey Collegiate (5925 – 27th Avenue) in Rosemount will welcome Captain Joseph who most recently served in Haiti following the devastating earthquake of January 2010. He will speak to the students on the history of the Black population in the armed forces as well as his most recent experience in Haiti.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Monday, February 21st:

St. Brendan School (6650 39th Avenue) in Rosemount will welcome the Steve Blackette Steppers at 9:30 a.m. The Steppers are a dance troupe whose dances are inspired by the group’s African heritage. Steve Blackette and his group will conduct a presentation delving into the history of the Black population through the traditional step stomp African dance.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Tuesday, February 22nd:

Gardenview Elementary School (700 Brunet) will be having their Black History Month celebration from 9:30-10:30 with various presentations and guest speakers.

The following EMSB schools will be celebrating Black History Month on Friday, February 25th:

Rosemount High School (3737 Beaubien) will be celebrating Black History Month with a multicultural feast, beginning at 12:30 p.m.

From 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Laurier Macdonald High School (7355 Viau) in St. Leonard will be celebrating Black History Month by honoring the countless African Americans and Canadians who have made a difference in the struggle for equality amongst the races. The theme for the entire celebration will be “A Taste of the Caribbean” while invited guests include Tyrone Benskin, the Artistic Director of the Black Theatre Workshop and the Rev. Darryl Gray.